The study of mechanics is the study of forces that cause motion. In the natural environment the functions that relate forces to motions can be very complicated. Studying the movement of a tree subject to wind loads or the flow of water through a natural soil are very interesting subjects for me. These subjects are often best posed as problems in continuum mechanics. In addition, with the increased mechanization of harvesting operations the mechanics of machinery is becoming very important. Analytical mechanics can be used to develop the equations of motion for a machine. With the equations of motion it is possible to better understand the interactions of the machine with the environment.

I have over eleven years of professional experience in forest operations including cruising, engineering, road construction, and logging. Thus, operations research in forestry is also interesting to me. Given the long periods between harvests and the numerous constraints on harvesting operations, it is important to find robust solutions to scheduling and harvesting problems.

Projects

The mechanics of anisotropic materials applied to the management of forests